Accounting table



March 25, 1930.

E. C. RASMUSSEN ACCOUNTING TABLE Filed June 11, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l March 25, 1930. E. c. RASMUSSEN 1,751,494

ACCOUNTING TABLE Filed June 11, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 March 25, 1930. E. c. RASMUSSEN ACCOUNTING TABLE Filed June 11, 1928 @mm/ @W March 25, 1930. c s uss 1,751,494

ACCOUNT ING TABLE Filed June 11. 19.28 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 25, 1930 PATENT OFFICE EDWARD C. RASMUSSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINQIS ACCOUNTING TABLE Application filed June 11,

This invention relates to accounting accessories and oflice furniture, and more especially to means for holding record sheets in convenient mutual arrangement for comparing specific parts and for summarizing the data thereon. Many accounting methods commonly in use require periodic summation of like kinds of data applied currently to individual sheets on a separate summarizing sheet or on a certain part of the current data-collectin sheet.

The main dlJjects of this invention are to provide an improved form of means and method for handling, supporting and using tabular records, accounting sheets, etc.; to provide means for supporting in convenient assemblage a plurality of current data sheets in apt relation'to a summation sheet; to pro-v vide such means adapted for ready interchange and adjustment of the various sheets according to the data to be summarized; to provide such means in planar top form, preferably of tilting table-like character; to provide movable means positively related to the 2 sheet supporting device and having definite over-riding mechanical relation to the data sheets for visuall correlating corresponding kinds or parts 0 data on the current sheets and on the summation sheet; to provide quick clamping means to hold the several sheets in predetermined relation to one another on the device and in a manner to accommodate ready readjustment of the sheets; to provide for adjustable tilting of the device to enhance convenience of access and use; to

provide an improved article of furniture adapted to accommodate the process and apparatus herein referred to; to provide convertible accounting table and desk of the character referred to; and to provide record sheets of appropriate formand character adapted for use in connection with the sup porting and correlating means.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown by the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan of the planar top part of the device, the end supports being omitted.

60 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of 1928. Serial No. 284,397.

the device as a whole, parts of the supports being broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end elevation, the base of the supports being broken away.

Fig. 4 illustrates an appropriate form for current data and summation sheets.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a desk-like embodiment of the invention, adapted to accommodate a comptometer, the tilting member being inclined.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged left end fragmentary Few of the pivotal part of the device of Fig. 7 is mainly a left. end view of the tilting member of the device of Fig. 5, in its horizontal position, part of the, device bein in section, flush with the end of said mem er.

Fig. 8 shows a set of two current sales sheets and a corresponding summation sheet.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the sheet supporting member 1 is of table like character, with means to be described for adjustin the same tiltably. This device includes a slotted top portion 2 ada ted to receive in operative relation sheets 0 paper as will be described, a slidable guide member 3 substantially in the form of a T-square. The top 2 is pivoted medially on its longitudinal axis and is supported at its ends by a pair of bracket-like members 4 to rest on the floor. These are provided with journal bearings 5 at their upper ends, together with clamping means 6 for adjustably engaging the semi-circular guides 7 secured to the ends of the table, concentric with the journals or pivot-s 8, whereby the top 2 may be secured in adjusted position either inclined or horizontal.

In order to accommodate supporting adustment on said device of the several sheets 9, both for current data and for summation purposes, so as to expose only such parts thereof as are immediately concerned, the main body part of the table top is serially slotted transversely from one edge nearly all the way across and nearly from end to end and is thus made to include a corresponding series of parallel, slightly spaced slats or strips 10, each stri or a group of two or more strips being a apted to support a separate sheet 9 hung thereon with its selected medial part exposed and with the sheet ends dependlng beneath the'table. The remote edge part 11 of the table, opposite from the open near ends of the slots 10, is continuous and is provided with a readily ad ustab le clamp member 12 to secure the data sheets in place when once they have been properly adusted.

This clamp is in the form of a heavy strip or weighted bar disposed transversely of the slats and is hinged as at 13 to the edge part 11 of the table. The hinges 13 may be provided with springs of appropriate form, as will be understood, to help gravity urge the clamp yieldingly to its eli'ective sheet-holding position, shown in Fig. 3. The bar 12 may be lifted or thrown back when sheets or forms are being changed or shifted.

The left end edge of the table is provided with a guide part or groove 14 to receive the head 15 of the T-square 3 for alining corresponding figures on the several sheets, all the way across the board.

In order to rigidly support and hold the near ends of the strips 10 in constant relation, a depending sill 16 is secured to each end of the board 2, as at 17. This sill, preferably of sheet metal, is apron like and is slotted vertically in registry with the slots 10', as at 18. The lower edge 19 of sill 16 is rolled for the sake of increased rigidity. The ends are formed with triangular braces 20 having inwardly turned flanges 21 to receive screws 22, whereby the sill is secured to the end bars of the top 2. The upper ends of the apron fingers 23 are turned inward, as at 24 and are secured by fastenings 25 to the corresponding strips 10, the near ends of which are rounded to facilitate inserting the sheets edgewise.

Referring to the modified construction shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the invention is embodied in a desk 26. Here the tilting sheet holder 27 is set in the left part of the frame 28, being carried on pivots 29 and 30, and the right part of the desk is formed at 31 to receive a comptometer, not shown, as will be understood.

The desk frame comprises mainly a plain left end 32, a housing end 33 at the right to accommodate the recess 31, back rails 34 and 35 and five legs 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40, the last being disposed medially to help support the comptometer mounting part.

The slotted member 27 comprises mainly a pair of end sills 41 and 42 carried by the pivots 29 and 30, table end bars 43 and 44 secured to said sills, a back edge cross bar 45, slats 46 and clamping means 47. A front bar or sill 46, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7, may be provided but is not necessary in the smaller sizes of units or where the rear edge construction is of heavy design. In. a desk style of equipment, such as in Fig. 5, it

is generally preferable to avoid using a front sill, and so provide more knee room for an operator seated at the desk. The clamp 47 comprises a bar carried on spring hinges 48 secured to bar 49 which in turn is fixed to the back edge part of table 27.

The slats 43 are separated by slots 50 to accommodate the reception of accounting sheets 9, and an extra wide slot 51 at the left accommodates the head of a T-square 52. In order to prevent accidental slippage of the T-square, as by gravity when the table part is tilted, resilient expansive friction means 53, adapted to slide in groove slot 51, are secured to one end of the T-square head.

In Fig. 5 the width of the slats is exaggerated somewhat as compared with Fig. 1, but for some uses it may be preferable to have wide slots.

The position of table 27 is secured adjustably by the longitudinally movable pin 54 in the frame end 32. Table bar 42 has an arcuate series of holes 55 to receive said pin as will be understood. See Fig. 6.

As will be apparent, an accountant or operator may sit comfortably at the desk, with a flexibly adjustable positive assemblage of data sheets and a calculating machine, all within ready reach for attention and operation, and in a manner impossible to effect or simulate, either in convenience or efiiciency with any ordinary oflice equipment or with any devices heretofore known.

Referring now to the illustratively filled record sheets 9 of Fig. 4, the sheets 56 shown fragmentarily at the left, the right end parts being broken away, are current data sheets and sheet 57, part of which is shown at the right, is a summation sheet. As will be apparent the sheets 56 are assembled on the table 1 (or on desk 26) with corresponding produce columns exposed successively, as for instance first the flour columns, then the rice, etc. The right-hand sheet 57 is accordingly moved to receive the daily totals of these items, in the same order, flour, rice, tea, sugar, etc. Obviously many other kinds of records may be handled in a similar manner, as for instance engineering data, etc.

In case separate daily sheets are desired the form shown by Fig. 8 may be used. Here each salesman fills out and turns in his sheet 58 for each day and the data from all of these sheets, only two being shown, is summarized on a daily summation sheet 59.

In using slat constructed holders such as shown, especially in Fig. 1, it will be found that in some cases the tabular columns of a sheet will be wide enough to cover two or more slats 10. But for narrow columns one slat is suflicient to accommodate each sheet. In each case all data not immediately concerned is hidden below the surface of the table. This is illustrated on the middle part of Fig. 1

where strip 9 is inverted-U-folded on two adjacent strips 10.

In using the device it is usually preferable to insert the sheets ready folded, endwise of the strips 10 as facilitated by the rounded ends of the strips, though it is possible to drop them down into place vertically. When in place they are secured by the clamp 12, which however permits manual pulling of the strips forward successively, as from right to left, as the columns are summarized.

Although but two specific embodiments of this invention are herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous details of the constructions shown may be alteredor omitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A recapitulation device adapted to hold a plurality of tubular sheets in closely assembled folded relation to display correspondin parts of the sheets, said device including a at top provided with parallel, perforatory slots with resultant intervening slat-like portions to support the folded sheets with their edges depending beneath said top, and means to hold the sheets in variously predetermined positions depending on the parts to be ex ose t P 2. A device of the class described comprising a lanar top device having alternate slots and siats extending from one edge nearly to the opposite edge, and clamping means adjacent to said opposite edge adapted to hold in place interchangeable cartographic sheets or the like such as may be supported on said slats with their edges depending through the corresponding adjacent slots. I

3. A device of the character described comprising a planar top and supporting means therefor on which said top is suitably mounted in adjustable tilting relation thereto, said top comprising substantially a series of spaced slats disposed transversely of the axis with open slots between, in combination with a plain cross bar at the upper edge and a depending correspondingly slotted cross bar at the lower edge, the slots in said lower cross bar bein in registry with the first said slots.

4. A evice of the character described, including a lanar top having a series of arallel slots t erein, clamping means extending transversely of said slots, and a transversely disposed slide member, extending over said slots and having positive mechanical relation to said top whereby it may be maintained in constant angular relation to said slots and movable lengthwise of said slots.

Signed at Chicago this 29th day of May, 28

EDWARD C. RASMUSSEN, 

